Vacuum cleaner



- Dec; 27, 1932, F. CARLSTEDT 2,3

VACUUM CLEANER Filed D90. 29, 1931 I0 77 /3 v c1 7 27 43 53 CC V W 26INVENTOR 2, ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1932 I UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE FREDRIK GARLSTEDT, F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR TO ELECT'ROLUXCORPOR A- TION, 0]? DOVER, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE VACUUMCLEANER Application filed December 29, 1931, Serial No. 583,670, and inGermany December 18, 1980.

My invention relates to Vacuum cleaners and more particularly to thecombination with a vacuum cleaner unit of a flexible hose for connectingthe suction or blowing tools with the vacuum cleaner unit.

When a hose is interposed between the suction nozzle of a vacuum cleanerand the fan, the resistance of the hose is a factor of importance. Theresistance decreases rapidly with increase in diameter of hose. On theother hand, increase in diameter means increase in weight to theoperator who holds a .part of the hose or one end thereof in the hand.It is the principal object of this invention to obtain an appreciabledecrease in resistance to flow without increasing the weight in the handof the operator or, alternatively, decreasing the weight in the hand ofthe operator without increasing the resistance to flow in the hose.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be pointed out as thedescription proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,in which a flexible hose is shown, connecting a suction toolwith a vacuum cleaner unit and which drawing forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an assembly View showing the vacuum cleaner unit with the hoseattached thereto; and

Fig. 2 shows a detail.

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identifiedby specific names for convenience but they are intended to be as genericin their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

In the drawing, 10 denotes a suction clean er unit of known kindcomprising a casing enclosing a dust bag 20 and a fan 21 driven by anelectrically operated motor 22. of the cleaner casing are covered bycaps 11 and 12, respectively, in which caps the suction and blowingopenings 13 and 14 respectively are arranged. Said openings 13 and 14are adapted to receive a coupling member 17, as shown more in detail inFig. 2. 'The coupling member 17 is threaded at 24 to fit into the inletopening 13. The coupling member isinternally threa ed at 25 to permit aro- The ends,

tatable member 26 to be screwed thereinto. V

Member 26 is a part of the'hose generally des ignated by referencecharacter 15; 26 is rotatably mounted on a rigid sleeve or in thedrawing, the hose may be of so-called spiral construction.

In operation, the cleaner unit rests on the floor or carpet.v Theoperator lifts the part 31 and holds either this or some adjacent partin the hand. Consequently, the part of the flexible hose which-is nearerto the cleaner unit 10 rests on the floor, whereas the part sectionalarea, while the part ad acent the member 31 is appreciably lighter. Ifthe hose were of uniform diameter equal to the diameter adjacent thepart 31,.the resistance would be high compared with the hose as shownand described.

In-the designing of vacuum cleaners, an important requirement is to'keepthe resistduit a large inner cross section. The, use of such heavyconduits is, however, disadvantageous, especially in vacuum cleaners ofthe domestic type, as that end of the conduit,'t0

which the tools are connected, can be mani ulated only with greatdifliculty, due to t e large dimensions of the conduit.

This disadvantage is overcome by the resent invention, without therequirement oi lo'w resistance to flow in the conduit being disnsedwith, as the efiective section of flow of the flexible hose is the innercross section midway between the ends thereof, provided that theincrease in inner cross section is ractically uniform, as is the case inthe embodiment shown in the drawing.

The invention further provides the advantage that, in the suctionoperation, thread, cotton-waste and the like will not stick in the hoseas this increases in the direction of fiow of air. This last mentionedadvantage is particularly important in spiral hoses.

It will be obvious that changes in construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. In the specifictype of cleaner shown, the vacuum cleaner unit is adapted to be pulledon the floor or carpet by pulling on the hose. Obviously, the part 19may be omitted and the suction tool connected directly to the member 31,or the member 31 may itself constitute the nozzle, as is known incleaners of this type. It is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the specific type of. vacuum cleaner shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a vacuum cleaner unit includin a casing having asuction inlet adjacent the oor, of a hose adapted to be held inthe handat one end and secured to said inlet at the othervend and of such lengthas to have a'portion thereof resting on the floor when anend'is held inthe hand comprising a flexible section of varying internal and externaldiameter to provide varying cross-sectlonal area and varying weight perunit length,ithe smallest cross-sectional area being at the end to beheld in the hand and the largest cross-sectional area being at the endadapted to be attached to said suction inlet whereby the end to be heldin the hand is relatively light andthe part resting on the U .area beingat the end to be heavy and the cross-secfloor is relatively thedirection of air tional area increases in flow with the hose connectedto the suction inlet,

and a suction tool adapted to be connected with the end of the hose ofsmall dimeter.

2. The combination with a movably mounted vacuum cleaner unit includinga casing having a suction inlet adjacent the floor, of a hose adaptedtoibe held in the hand 'at one end, said hose serving to conduct ai tothe vacuum cleaner unit and for pulling the unit on a floor or othersurface, a rotary connection between said hose and said inl t at theother end and said hose being of such length as to have a portionthereof resting on the floor when an end is held'in the hand andcomprising a flexible section of varying internal and external diameterto provide a varying cross-sectional area and varying welg t per unitlength, the smallestcross-s'ectional held in the hand mounted vacuumcleaner unit including a castion. inlet at the other and the largestcross-sectional area beingat the end adapted to be attached to saidsuction inlet, whereby the end to be held in the hand is relativelylight and the part resting on the floor is 'relatively heavy and thecrosssectional area increases in th'e'direction of air flow with thehose connected to the suction inlet, and a suction tool adapted to beconnected with the end of the hose of lesser diameter.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, a vacuum cleaner unit havingan inlet open-j ing, a suction nozzle, and a hose comprisinga rigid endmember adapted to be connected to said nozzle and comprising a flexiblehose section attached to said endmember and having a graduallyincreasing internal diameter away from said rigid end member and asimilarly increasing external diameter and comprising a connectionmemberattached to the large diameter end of the hose vsection andadapted to be connected to said inlet opening.

4. The combination. with a movably ing having a suction inlet adjacentthe floor, of a hose adapted to be held in .the hand at one end andsecured to said inlet at the other end, said'hose serving to conduct airto the vacuum cleaner unit and for pulling'the unit on a floor or othersurface andbeing of such length as to havea portion thereof restingonthe floor when an end is held in the hand, said hose comprising aflexible section of varying internal and external ing cross-sectionalarea and varying weig per unit length, the smallest cross-sectional areabeing at the end to be held in thehand and the largest cross-sectionalarea being at the end nearer the suction end to be held in the hand isrelatively light and the part resting on the floor is relatively heavyand the cross-sectional area increases in the direction of air flow withthe hose connected to the suction inlet and the center of 110 gravity isnearer the unit, relative to a hose of uniform diameter, and a suctiontool adapted to be connected to the end of the hose of smaller diameter.

5. The combination with a vacuum cleaner 1 unit including a casinghaving a suction inlet, and a suction nozzle, of a hose adapted to beheld in the hand and connected to the suction nozzle at one end andconnected to said sueto conduct air to the vacuum cleaner unit and beingof'such length as to have a portion thereof resting on the floor when anend is held in the hand,said hose comprising portions and a flexiblesection of varying m- 125 ternal and external diameter connected betweensaid rigid portions to provide varying cross-sectional area-and varyingweight per unit length, the smallest cross-sectional area being at theend to be held the hand and the 13.

diameter to provide vary;

inlet, whereby the end, said hose serving largest cross-sectional areabeing at the end nearer the suction inlet, whereby the end to be held inthe hand is relatively light and the part resting on the floor isrelatively heavy and the cross-sectional area increases in the directionof air flow with the hose connected to the suction inlet and the centerof gravity is nearer the'unit, relative to a hose of 11111- formdiameter.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

FREDRIK QARLSTEDT.

